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Analyzing bicycle routes and forecasting
effective development for Burlington, VT:
Final Report
Lev McCarthy
limccart@uvm.edu
(617)-833-2100
Environmental Studies
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
University of Vermont ‘15
Faculty Sponsor:
Richard Watts
Assistant Research Professor, CDAE
rwatts@uvm.edu
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1.#Introduction#
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! In!Burlington,!VT!the!public!and!local!government!repeatedly!support!increasing!the!
availability!and!facility!of!bicycling,!but!there!is!a!comparative!lack!of!proactive!development.!!This!
lack!of!project!implementation!is!partially!due!to!a!shortage!of!information!and!data!about!which!
pathways!in!Burlington!are!most!valuable!as!bicycle!routes.!In!2002!the!Burlington!Department!of!
Public!Works!commissioned!the!Burlington!North/South!Bicycle!&!Pedestrian!route!study.!This!
study!contains!the!keystone!data!for!bicycle!development!planning,!but!its!breadth!is!very!limited.!!
!! The!purpose!of!the!North/South!route!study!was!to!identify!bicycle!and!pedestrian!routes!
for!the!north!and!south!connections!into!downtown!Burlington.!Of!those!identified!routes,!one!
would!be!chosen!as!the!focus!of!development.!!
!! The!North/South!Route!Study!used!two!sets!of!data!to!understand!Burlington’s!existing!
bicycle!network.!The!first!data!was!from!the!Federal!Highway!Administration!(FHWA)!Bicycle!
Compatibility!Index!(BCI)!or!Level!of!Service!(LoS)!that!looked!at!a!cityTwide!sample!of!major!
arterial!streets.!The!FHWA!data!was!paired!with!survey!data!of!scored!street!segments!collected!
by!the!Burlington!City!Bike!Council.!The!results!revealed!a!severe!lack!of!biking!infrastructure,!and!
an!emphasis!on!the!opportunities!to!design!for!bike!use!along!North!Winooski!Ave,!North!Union!St!
and!South!Union!Street.!Since!the!publication!of!this!plan!in!2002,!there!have!been!a!series!of!
infrastructural!achievements!along!those!corridors!that!were!deemed!essential!to!North/South!
bicycle!and!pedestrian!connectivity.!! !!
!! It!is!difficult!to!draw!universal!conclusions!about!the!impacts!of!certain!geographic!features!
and!types!of!bicycle!infrastructure!on!bicyclists’!pathway!selection.!Each!rider’s!decisions!are!
impacted!by!countless!internal!and!external!factors.!In!recent!decades,!an!increased!interest!in!
bicycle!transportation!planning!has!led!to!a!swath!of!research!attempting!to!uncover!patterns!in!
bicyclists’!pathway!selection,!but!because!of!the!variety!of!research!locations!and!methods,!there!
is!not!much!evidence!showing!what!infrastructure!and!policies!lead!to!increased!levels!of!bicycle!
transportation!(Pucher!et!al.,!2010).!!
!! Once!a!person!decides!to!use!his!bicycle!to!complete!a!trip,!there!are!the!pathway!
selections!that!she!will!make!along!the!way,!and!distance!is!a!dominant!factor!for!which!route!she!
selects.!!Research!has!shown!that!cyclists’!paths!are!on!average!about!12%!longer!than!the!
shortest!path,!with!half!of!all!trips!being!less!than!10%!longer!than!the!shortest!distance!(Broach!
et!al.,!2012).!These!stats!hint!that!bikers!are!impressively!concise!in!choosing!the!shortest!routes.!
Relative!distance!comparisons!are!also!found!to!play!an!important!role!in!pathway!selection.!It!is!
equally!likely!that!a!cyclist!will!go!1!mile!out!of!his!way!on!a!5!mile!trip!as!.2!miles!out!of!his!way!
on!a!1!mile!trip.!This!same!study!found!that!a!1%!increase!in!distance!decreases!the!probability!
that!a!cyclist!will!choose!that!route!by!5%T9%!(Broach!et!al.,!2012).!
!! So!what!makes!a!bicyclist!go!out!of!their!way?!What!features!along!the!shortest!possible!
route!make!a!cyclist!take!a!longer!alternative,!and!which!features!on!a!lessTdirect!route!would!
attract!cyclists!away!from!the!shortest!possible!route?!The!goal!of!the!Burlington!Bike!Survey!is!to!
gauge!the!pathway!selection!behavior!of!bicyclists!in!Burlington,!VT,!surmise!a!pattern!in!their!
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preferences,!and!ascertain!where!in!Burlington!improvement!would!yield!the!most!benefit.!Here,!
we!define!benefit!as!an!increased!level!of!safety!for!bicyclists!paired!with!the!accessibility!and!
efficient!utility!of!popular!shortest!paths.!!
!! The!results!of!this!research!contributes!to!the!body!of!knowledge!currently!available!to!
Burlington’s!bicycle!planning!community.!Instead!of!reactive!and!convenient!development!based!
on!opportunity,!I!hope!that!awareness!to!the!preferences!of!the!Burlington!community!will!direct!
the!design!and!development!of!bicycle!infrastructure!throughout!the!city.!These!finding!are!not!
limited!to!local!application,!my!methods!can!serve!as!a!framework!for!similar!research!in!any!city!
hoping!to!better!understand!their!bicycle!routes!and!forecast!effective!prospective!development.!!!
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2.#Survey#Methodology#
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2.1!Introduction!
!! A!survey!method!was!used!to!gather!data!about!Burlington’s!bicyclists,!and!although!there!
was!a!fair!amount!of!deliberation,!the!final!survey!was!distributed!in!paper,!in!person,!rather!than!
online.!This!method!was!initially!considered!because!the!researcher!did!not!have!the!technical!
ability!to!distribute!the!survey!online,!but!the!physical!inTperson!survey!ended!up!being!an!
effective!tool,!and!there!are!benefits!to!the!method!that!would!have!been!impossible!to!achieve!
with!an!online!survey!tool.!!!
!! In!order!to!create!an!effective!survey,!I!worked!with!professionals!who!are!involved!in!
Burlington’s!bicycle!community.!The!group!of!professional!partners!included!Bicycle!and!
Pedestrian!Planners!at!Burlington’s!Department!of!Public!Works!and!the!Chittenden!County!
Regional!Planning!Commission,!Bicycle!event!organizers!and!advocates!at!Local!Motion,!research!
method!specialists!and!a!Geographic!Information!Systems!specialist!at!University!of!Vermont’s!
College!of!Community!Development!and!Applied!Economics.!Through!meetings!with!these!
partners!and!a!couple!test!groups!the!physical!survey!tool!was!honed!and!prepared!for!
distribution.!!
!! The!survey!tool!used!for!the!Burlington!Bike!Survey!is!more!qualitative!than!quantitative.!
The!18!questions!are!meant!to!be!as!inclusive!as!possible,!because!the!research!aimed!to!amass!a!
baseline!of!data!about!Burlington’s!cyclists!while!also!focusing!on!pathway!selection.!The!question!
types!reflect!this!inclusivity;!Three!questions!were!open!ended,!three!were!demographic,!eight!
were!multiple!choice,!three!used!a!semantic!differential!scale!and!one!had!respondents!draw!their!
response!on!a!map.!!
!! The!questions’!content!were!based!on!existing!research!that!has!looked!into!pathway!
selection,!and!road!features!were!specified!to!match!Burlington’s!current!conditions.!!The!results!
reported!here!are!derived!from!119!survey!responses.!!
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!2.2!Survey!Distribution!
! The!intent!of!the!distribution!method!was!to!capture!a!representative!sample!of!
Burlington’s!biking!population.!Local!Motion!allowed!me!to!hand!out!the!survey!at!their!secure!
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parking!locations!at!the!Burlington!Farmer’s!Market!at!City!Hall!Park!and!the!Summervale!events!
at!the!Intervale.!The!survey!was!also!dropped!off!at!a!couple!businesses!downtown!where!a!
significant!proportion!of!the!employees!commute!by!bike.!An!attempt!was!made!to!distribute!the!
survey!at!Bike!Recycle!Vermont,!a!notTfor!profit!bike!shop!in!Burlington!that!provides!bicycle!
maintenance,!training!and!other!bicycleTrelated!services!to!lowerTincome!Vermonters.!!I!selected!
these!locations!based!on!personal!observations.!I!had!noticed!that!many!people!cycled!to!these!
events!so!they!were!ideal!locations!for!efficiently!disseminating!the!survey.!
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2.3!Survey!Demographics!
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! Figures!1,!2!and!3!display!the!demographics!of!the!survey!respondents.!These!
demographics!depict!a!Burlington!bicycle!community!that!is!majority!male,!primarily!young,!and!
highly!educated.!!
!! The!low!percentage!of!females!who!responded!to!this!survey!is!consistent!with!a!2:1!male!
to!female!ratio!nationally!for!bicycle!commuters!(Krizek!et!al.,!2004;!Pucher!and!Buehler,!2011).!
Nearly!61!percent!of!the!respondents!identified!as!male,!!and!39!percent!identified!as!female.!
!! !!!Left!out!of!the!sample!are!people!under!the!age!of!18,!which!according!to!national!bicycle!
demographics!research!represents!about!40!percent!of!all!bicycle!trips!(Pucher!and!Buehler,!
2011).!Accounting!for!this!deficiency,!the!proportions!for!the!other!age!ranges!conform!to!the!
national!averages!aside!from!a!lessTthan!10Tpercentage!point!overTrepresentation!of!bicyclists!
bellow!the!age!of!35.!!The!mean!age!of!respondents!is!35!years,!with!a!minimum!of!18!and!a!
maximum!of!73.!!
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26%
35%
12%
14%
10%
3%
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
Age
% of respondents in each age group
n = 119!
39%
61%
1%
Gender
% of respondents who identify as
each gender
Female
Male
Other
n = 119!
Figure#1# Figure#2#
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! Educational!achievement!was!used!partially!as!a!proxy!for!income,!with!the!primary!intent!
of!gauging!the!socioeconomic!balance!of!Burlington’s!cyclists.!National!research!has!found!that!
there!is!nearly!no!difference!in!bicycle!ridership!between!the!four!income!quartiles!(Pucher!and!
Buehler,!2011).!The!discrepancy!between!our!data!and!the!national!average!may!be!attributed!to!
our!points!of!distribution.!The!survey!was!given!out!at!the!Burlington!Farmer’s!Market,!
Summervale!and!two!Burlington!businesses.!Burlington!Farmer’s!Market!and!Summervale!tend!to!
attract!people!who!have!expendable!income!to!be!spent,!free!time!to!attend!these!events,!and!
social!connections!that!inform!them!of!the!event!or!encourage!their!weekly!attendance.!!
!! In!order!to!rectify!this!imbalance,!the!methods!included!surveying!bicyclists!who!utilize!the!
service!of!Bike!Recycle!Vermont!(BRV),!but!complications!made!it!an!impractical!distribution!
location.!Many!of!the!adults!who!use!Bike!Recycle!Vermont!speak!Arabic,!and!communicate!to!the!
BRV!staff!through!young!children!who!speak!both!English!and!Arabic.!An!official!interpreter!
would!have!been!necessary!to!facilitate!the!surveying,!and!securing!an!interpreter!would!have!
taken!longer!than!the!allotted!time!for!this!research.!The!people!who!use!BRV’s!services!were!
often!stopping!by!quickly!and!they!frequently!declined!being!surveyed!because!they!did!not!have!
time!to!stop!and!take!a!15Tminute!survey.!Along!with!the!time!constraints!and!language!barrier,!
distributing!the!survey!at!BRV!would!be!disruptive!to!their!service!process.!The!BRV!staff!worked!
very!hard!to!keep!the!shop!organized!and!efficient,!and!although!I!attempted!to!minimize!my!
impact!on!their!routine,!distributing!the!survey!was!retarding!BRV’s!service!by!overcrowding!their!
workspace!and!sometimes!putting!off!their!customers.!!This!survey!sample!underTrepresents!a!
populace!in!the!lowerTeducation!bracket,!and!the!results!take!this!into!consideration.!!
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4%
3%
18%
5%
47%
15%
7%
Regular high school diploma
GED or alternative credential
1 or more year of college credit,
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Doctoral Degree
Education
% highest degree or level of school completed
n = 119
Figure#3#
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3.#Questionnaire#Results#and#Analysis#
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3.1!Bicyclist!Classification!
! Categorizing!participants!is!a!vital!tool!for!assessing!a!bicycle!community.!People!ride!
bicycles!for!a!combination!of!reasons,!and!their!decisions!are!influenced!by!an!innumerable!
amount!of!environmental!factors.!Researchers!have!attempted!to!categorize!bicyclists!as!a!way!to!
build!networks!adapted!to!different!cyclist!types.!Appealing!to!this!variety!of!riders!is!an!efficient!
way!to!increase!the!cycling!mode!share!and!frequency!(DamantTSirois!et!al.,!2013).!!
!! Commuting!cyclists!are!relatively!more!sensitive!to!distance!and!less!sensitive!to!most!
other!variables!compared!to!cyclists!riding!for!utilitarian!purposes.!The!only!exception!to!the!
previous!statement!is!commuters’!unwillingness!to!travel!on!roads!with!highTvolume!traffic.!This!
is!likely!attributed!to!the!fact!that!commuting!cyclists!are!riding!at!peak!traffic!hours!(Broach!et!al.,!
2012).!
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! This!survey!stopped!short!of!comprising!a!cyclist!typology.!InTdepth!work!has!been!done!
towards!comprising!an!accurate!typology!that!can!help!understand!how!to!cater!to!the!variety!of!
cyclists!(Dill!&!Carr,!2003;!Gatersleben!&!Haddad,!2010;!Geller,!R.,!2006),!and!creating!a!survey!to!
achieve!their!typologies,!the!Burlington!Bike!Survey!would!have!to!assume!a!level!of!nuance!that!
would!be!detrimental!to!the!other!goals.!!
!! Research!has!shown!that!selfTclassification!is!an!effective!way!to!determining!comfort!with!
various!path!features.!So!selfTclassification!is!used!here!both!as!a!contributing!factor!to!our!own!
cyclist!typology!as!well!as!a!variable!helping!decipher!and!analyze!the!raw!data.!!!
!! The!Burlington!Bike!Survey!used!a!threeTclass!option!classification!system.!Respondents!
were!asked!to!say!if!they!would!classify!themselves!as!an!“expert”,!“moderate”,!or!“beginner”!
3%
49%
48%
Bicyclist classification
Self-reported experience level
Begginer
Moderate
Expert
n = 119
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infrastructure!as!a!factor!for!selecting!their!favorite!route.!The!roads!mentioned!mentioned!all!
have!bike!lanes,!but!this!underrepresentation!of!roads!and!infrastructure!in!bicyclists’!selections!
indicates!that!more!infrastructure!is!needed!to!make!riding!on!roadways!easier!and!more!
enjoyable.!It!may!not!be!possible!to!recreate!the!aesthetic!aspects!of!the!Waterfront!Bike!Path,!but!
there!is!room!to!build!on!the!interesting!surroundings!that!some!of!Burlington’s!neighborhoods!
have!to!offer.!The!Old!North!End!was!mentioned!in!8!percent!of!responses,!and!bicyclists!chose!
that!neighborhood!as!their!favorite!because!of!its!interesting!architecture,!dense!development,!
and!the!opportunities!for!people!watching.!Bicycling!as!a!mode!of!transportation!affords!ample!
interaction!and!appreciation!of!beauty!and!interesting!landscapes!at!a!small!scale,!so!perhaps!
bicycling!can!be!made!more!attractive!by!increasing!bicycle!infrastructure!in!sideTstreet!
neighborhoods.!
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3.3!Topography!! !
!! There!is!a!common!supposition!that!bicycling!in!Burlington!is!made!difficult!by!its!
topography.!Most!of!downtown!Burlington!is!a!hill!whose!western!slope!is!home!to!the!city’s!most!
densely!populated!region,!as!well!as!most!the!city’s!amenities!and!utilities.!When!planning!roads!
for!cars!slopes!can!usually!be!ignored.!The!personTpowered!bike!as!a!mode!is!much!more!
vulnerable!to!steep!inclines,!and!as!a!result!slope!is!believed!to!be!a!key!feature!in!selecting!cycling!
routes.!!In!research!done!in!Portland,!Oregon!Broach!et!al.!found!that!cyclists!would!be!willing!to!
travel!1.72!flat!miles!to!avoid!1!mile!of!a!hill!with!a!2%!average!point!slope.!
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! The!results!of!the!Burlington!Bike!Survey!counter!this!presumption!that!bicyclists!make!
their!route!decisions!to!foremost!to!avoid!riding!uphill.!The!responses,!shown!in!Figure!6,!
demonstrate!that!17!percent!of!Burlington’s!cyclists!avoid!going!up!steep!hills!more!than!any!
other!feature!but!this!is!only!the!third!most!impactful!route!feature.!!
1%
5%
14%
17%
29%
35%
Left-hand turns
Busy intersections
Poor pavement conditions
Steep hills (uphill)
Dense car traffic
Fast-moving car traffic
Avoidance
% of respondents who avoid ...... the most
n = 119
Figure#6#
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! When!asked!which!features!of!Burlington’s!roadways!impact!their!route!decisions!the!
most,!only!15!percent!believe!that!steep!uphills!qualify!as!having!the!‘highest!impact’.!The!43!
percent!of!respondents!who!believe!that!steep!uphills!qualify!as!having!a!high!impact!is!
substantial,!but!the!feature!that!directs!Burlington!bicyclists’!pathway!decisions!the!most!is!
unrelated!to!topography,!and!is!an!issue!bicyclists!confront!in!most!of!North!America’s!urban!
centers.!!
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3.4!Motorist!Interaction!
!! Motorists!and!bicyclists!sharing!the!road!has!become!an!increasingly!common!feature!in!US!
cities,!but!merely!encouraging!drivers!to!be!aware!of!bicyclists!is!not!enough!to!offset!the!inherent!
pathway!selection!discouragement!of!heavy!traffic!and!high!speeds.!!In!the!United!States,!bicyclists!
avoid!high!volume!streets!without!any!infrastructure!at!the!cost!of!nearly!a!%100!increase!in!
distance!(Broach!et!al.,!2012).!The!most!important!and!direct!roadways!are!typically!those!with!
the!highest!volumes!of!traffic,!and!these!same!roads!frequently!have!very!high!speed!limits.!This!is!
in!direct!conflict!with!bicycle!accessibility.!!
!! Data!garnered!through!the!Burlington!Bike!Survey!shows!that!Burlington’s!bicyclists’!
pathway!decisions!are,!foremost,!impacted!by!fast!moving!car!traffic!and!dense!car!traffic!
respectively.!51!percent!of!respondents!report!that!fast!moving!car!traffic!qualifies!as!the!highest!
impact!feature,!and!66!percent!say!it!is!at!least!a!high!impact!feature.!38!percent!of!respondents!
report!that!dense!car!traffic!qualifies!as!the!highest!impact!feature,!and!65!percent!say!it!is!at!least!
a!high!impact!feature.!This!avoidance!of!car!traffic!is!important!to!note!in!a!city!that!currently!
lacks!protected!bike!lanes,!which!would!give!cyclists!the!separation!and!safety!they!seek.!!
! !The!impact!of!car!traffic!on!bicyclists!differs!based!on!the!selfTassigned!experience!level!of!
the!cyclist.!Cyclists!who!qualify!themselves!as!experts!express!that!their!path!selection!is!
substantially!less!impacted!by!fastTmoving!car!traffic!and!dense!car!traffic!compared!to!people!
who!classify!themselves!as!moderate!cyclists.!There!are!11!percent!more!moderate!bicyclists!than!
expert!bicyclists!whose!path!selection!is!very!impacted!by!fastTmoving!car!traffic,!and!14!percent!
18% 9% 29% 28% 15%
Impact of steep hills (uphill)
% of responces that attribute ..... level of impact on path selection
1 (lowest impact) 2 3 4 5 (highest impact) n = 119
Figure#7#
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more!whose!path!selection!is!very!impacted!by!dense!car!traffic.!!
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3.5!Dangerous!Features!
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! There!is!a!significant!discord!between!cyclists!and!motorists,!which!is!encouraged!by!the!
ambiguous!and!unsuitable!distribution!of!transportation!infrastructure!between!the!two!modes.!
Burlington’s!bicyclists!overwhelmingly!express!a!fear!of!car!interaction.!When!asked!what!
situations!while!cycling!in!Burlington!make!them!feel!unsafe!28!percent!of!respondents!wrote!in!
that!they!felt!unsafe!because!of!motorists,!and!this!category!can!be!divided!into!13!percent!who!
feel!endangered!by!aggressive!motorists,!and!15!percent!who!feel!endangered!by!inattentive!
drivers.!!
!! Second!only!to!the!fear!of!motorists!themselves,!is!a!fear!of!car!traffic.!I!have!chosen!to!
differentiate!between!car!traffic!and!motorists!although!mediating!these!issues!will!follow!similar!
tactics.!This!fear!can!likely!be!attributed!to!an!abundance!of!the!dangerous!situations!cyclists!
prescribe!to!motorists.!20!percent!of!respondents!wrote!that!they!felt!endangered!by!car!traffic,!8!
percent!of!those!are!weary!of!dense!traffic!and!12!percent!are!weary!of!fast!car!traffic.!!
!! Another!commonality!found!amongst!the!survey’s!respondents!is!a!fear!of!getting!‘doored’,!
a!term!describing!an!accident!brought!about!by!a!motorist!opening!their!door!in!the!path!of!a!
cyclist.!This!is!a!significant!cause!of!cyclist!injuries!in!many!North!American!cities,!and!10!percent!
11%
10%
10%
7%
5%
5%
5%
4%
3%
2%
2%
2%
1%
Aggressive drivers , 13% Inattentive Drivers, 15%
DenseTraffic , 8% FastTraffic, 12%
Motorists
Car traffic
Road Conditions
Other Cyclists
Getting 'doored'
Snow/ Ice
Shelburne Rd
Left Turns
Dark/ Night
North Ave
Intersections
Pine St
Main St
Bike Lanes
North St
Danger
% of responces that mention a particular factor, feature or place which
makes them feel unsafe
n = 119
Figure#8#
13. !
10!
of!the!survey!respondents!report!being!fearful!of!getting!doored!while!cycling!in!Burlington.!
Burlington’s!roads!have!ample!space!from!curb!to!curb,!but!curbside!parking!has!diminished!the!
space!available!for!movement,!and!on!nearly!all!roads!with!bike!lanes!the!lanes!are!narrow!and!
adjacent!to!the!parked!cars,!restricting!cyclists!to!the!area!where!they’re!most!susceptible!to!being!
doored.!!!!
!! It!is!important!to!note!the!sense!of!danger!invoked!by!poor!road!conditions.!The!11!percent!
of!respondents!who!wrote!that!they!are!afraid!of!poor!road!conditions!were!primarily!concerned!
by!situations!where!broken!cement,!potholes,!or!debris!in!the!bike!lane!or!shoulder!forces!a!
bicyclist!to!swerve!into!the!motorist!lane.!Just!over!half!(about!55%)!of!responses!which!
mentioned!poor!pavement!conditions!felt!endangered!by!being!forced!into!the!road,!and!into!the!
path!of!oncoming!cars.!!
!! All!of!the!roads!mentioned!by!respondents!are!primary!access!routes!into!and!out!of!
Downtown!Burlington.!Shelburne!Road,!Pine!Street,!North!Ave!and!Main!Street!all!sustain!a!high!
volume!of!car!traffic,!but!these!roadways!are!important!to!bicyclists!for!the!same!reasons!that!they!
are!so!populated!by!motorists.!This!research!demonstrates!that!North!Avenue,!Pine!Street!and!
Maine!Street!are!of!primary!concern,!because!each!was!mentioned!as!one!of!the!most!feared!roads!
for!cyclists!while!also!being!among!the!most!used!roadways.!!!!
! ! !!
3.6!Perceived!Safety!
!! Bicyclists’!sense!of!safety!impacts!how!many!people!choose!to!ride!their!bicycles!and,!if!
they!choose!to!cycle,!which!routes!they!will!feel!comfortable!riding!on.!The!perception!of!an!
increase!in!safety!results!in!at!least!a!proportional!percentage!increase!in!mode!choice!(Noland,!
1995).!This!means,!that!as!the!perceived!safety!shown!in!Figure!9!shifts,!and!more!people!report!
feeling!safe!bicycling!in!Burlington,!more!people!will!begin!to!cycle.!
!
!!!!!!!!
!
Figure#9#
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The!Burlington!Bike!Survey!found!that!most!bicyclists!feel!safe!cycling!in!
Burlington.!About!56!percent!of!respondents!indicated!that!they!agree!or!strongly!agree!that!they!
feel!safe,!and!only!about!12!percent!indicated!that!they!disagree!or!strongly!disagree!with!the!
statement.!!This!gauge!of!overall!safety,!along!with!the!knowledge!that!perceptions!of!safety!have!
such!a!strong!impact!on!transportation!mode!choice,!emboldens!the!features!shown!in!Figure!8.!
9.6 32.5 42.1 14Safety
Safety
% of respondents who report feeling safe bicycling in Burlington
1 (strongly disagree) 2 3 4 5 (strongly agree) n = 119
15. !
12!
!
!! Within!the!seasons,!weather!is!a!dominant!factor!impacting!people’s!decisions!to!cycle.!!
Shown!in!Figure!11,!it!is!important!to!note!that!over!half!of!the!respondents!are!willing!to!bike!all!
the!mentioned!weather!conditions!aside!from!snowfall.!The!only!weather!conditions!we!gauged!
that!would!discourage!cycling!in!the!summer!are!uncomfortable!heat!and!rain!with!or!without!wet!
pavement.!Rain!with!wet!pavement!is!the!most!divisive!summer!weather!feature,!with!only!63!
percent!of!respondents!saying!they!are!willing!to!cycle.!Winter!weather!is!much!more!impactful,!
with!only!14!percent!of!respondents!saying!they!are!willing!to!ride!their!bicycles!if!there!is!
snowfall!with!snow!on!the!ground.!
!! This!data!is!useful!because!it!demonstrates!that!the!city!of!Burlington!could!increase!
bicycle!ridership!by!plowing!snow.!In!wintertime,!the!shoulder!or!bike!lane!is!usually!sacrificed!as!
a!location!for!snow!that!has!been!removed!from!the!roadway.!If!plows!were!aware!and!focused!on!
removing!snow!from!the!shoulders!and!lanes,!then!we!could!bridge!the!17Tpercentage!point!gap!
between!cyclists!who!will!bike!with!snow!on!the!ground!and!those!who!are!only!willing!to!use!
their!bicycles!when!the!roads!are!dry.!
!
3.7!Respondent!Recommendations!!
!
Figure#12#
! The!Burlington!Bike!Survey!sought!to!understand!what!recommendations!bicyclists!have.!
What!infrastructure!do!Burlington’s!bicyclists!desire!the!most,!how!would!they!like!to!improve!the!
accessibility!and!feasibility!of!bicycling!in!Burlington,!and!what!existing!features!would!they!like!to!
expand?!
!! Respondents!were!given!a!list!of!seven!types!of!bicycle!infrastructure,!and!were!asked!to!
rate!the!options!on!a!fiveTpoint!scale,!with!5!being!the!most!important!way!to!improve!bicycle!
8.3
8.3
22.9
5.7
16.7
6.4
15.7
5.6
12
15.2
8.5
13.9
18.3
16.7
13
13
28.6
22.6
31.5
26.6
19.4
27.8
25
19
23.6
14.8
21.1
24.1
45.4
40.7
14.3
39.6
23.1
27.5
24.1
One-way Protected Bike Lane
Two-way Protected Bike Lane
Shared Road (Sharrow)
On-road Bike Lane
Bike Box
Off-road Bike Path
Bike Signal
New Infrastructure
% saying how much each form of infrastructure would improve bicycle transportation
in Burlington
1 (least important) 2 3 4 5 (most important)
!
n = 119
17. !
14!
does!not!include!the!11!percent!that!specified!wanting!protected!bike!lanes.!Fixing!potholes,!
removing!debris!along!shoulder!lanes,!and!other!poor!pavement!conditions!was!suggested!by!25!
percent!of!respondents.!
!! These!responses,!both!categorized!and!freeTform,!unite!to!represent!the!opinion!of!
Burlington’s!bicyclists!en!masse.!!When!making!transportation!planning!decisions,!this!researcher!
recommends!a!balance!of!data!driven!and!userTproposed!conclusions.!
! !
4.#Mapping#Results#and#Analysis!
!!! !
4.1!Most!Frequent!Routes!!
!! !
! The!survey!included!a!map!of!downtown!Burlington!as!well!as!a!questionnaire.!The!map!
portion!of!the!survey!was!a!tool!to!gather!data!on!what!routes!bicyclists!currently!use!the!most.!!
!! !The!map!need!to!be!a!visual!representation!of!the!area!detailed!enough!to!capture!the!wide!
range!of!possible!responses,!but!simple!enough!to!be!understood!by!people!who!do!not!have!a!
good!understanding!of!the!region,!or!are!not!mapTliterate.!Open!Street!Mapstm!was!utilized!as!the!
basemap!because!it!has!a!common!format,!that's!accessible,!and!hopefully!familiar!to!the!
respondents.!!
Another!benefit!of!the!Open!Street!Maptm!depiction!is!that!it!includes!all!walkways!and!offTroad!
bike!paths!that!are!not!available!in!Vermont’s!GIS!database.!The!Vermont!Center!for!Geographic!
Information’s!Emergency!Roads!shapefile!was!used!and!altered!to!include!the!offTroad!bike!paths,!
and!walkways.!
! Survey!respondents!were!asked!to!draw!out!on!the!map!which!route!they!ride!most!
frequently.!Arrows!drawn!along!their!lines!will!show!direction,!and!squares!designate!
destinations.!!
!
!! !
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Figure#13# Figure#14#
18. !
15!
! Each!respondent’s!path!was!manually!transcribed!into!GIS,!both!as!a!whole!path,!and!as!a!
numerical!attribute!on!individual!path!segments.!Out!of!the!119!survey’s!collected!99!maps!were!
adequate!enough!to!utilize!in!the!GIS!analysis.!Directional!arrows!were!not!necessary!when!adding!
the!path!use!into!VCGI’s!Emergency!Roads!shapefile’s!attribute!data.!!
!! The!resulting!GIS!data!yielded!two!useful!datasets.!One!dataset!is!the!map!of!downtown!
Burlington!that!depicts!which!routes!respondents!used!the!most!(Figure!17),!and!another!is!a!
series!of!network!paths!that!can!be!analyzed!individually!or!collectively!to!expose!pathway!
selection!methods!(Figure!13).!
!
4.1!Route!Purpose!
!! To!prescribe!valid!pathway!improvements!it!is!important!to!differentiate!bicycle!trips!by!
purpose.!The!purpose!of!a!trip!will!impact!a!bicyclist’s!personal!pathway!selection!methods.!Most!
existing!research!analyzes!the!pathway!selection!methods!of!commuters,!and!they!may!be!the!best!
group!to!analyze!because!they!are!impressively!concise!in!choosing!the!shortest!route,!and!any!
deviation!from!that!route!can!be!attributed!to!pathway!features!either!propelling!cyclist’s!away!
from!certain!segment’s!or!pulling!cyclists!towards!others.!Commuting!cyclists’!routes!are!on!
average!about!12%!longer!than!the!shortest!route,!with!half!of!all!trips!being!less!than!10%!longer!
than!the!shortest!distance!(Broach!et!al.,!2012).!! !
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Figure#15#
!! !
! The!Burlington!Bike!Survey’s!respondents!primarily!cited!that!their!most!frequent!route!
was!for!commuting.!About!65!percent!of!the!routes!were!said!to!be!for!commuting,!18!percent!for!
utility,!and!18!for!recreation.!These!numbers!does!not!include!the!17!respondents!who’s!route!was!
a!mix!of!several!uses.!!!!
!
!
65%
18%
18%
Route Purpose
Commute to
work / school
Utility (shopping,
visiting a friend,
etc.)
Recreation /
exercise
n = 119
19. !
16!
4.2!Street!Segment!Rider!Counts!
!
Rider Counts on Street Segments
!Top 10
1 South Winooski (Pearl-Cherry) 49
2 South Winooski (Cherry - Buell) 45
3 South Winooski (Buell - Bank) 45
4 Pine Street (Main - King) 32
5 Pine Street (King - Maple) 28
6 Riverside Ave (North Willard - North Prospect) 27
7 South Winooski (Bank - College) 26
8 Riverside Avenue (North Prospect - Hillside Terrace) 26
9 Pine Street (Maple - Kilburn) 25
10 Pine Street (Kilburn - Pine Place) 25
Figure#16#
!
!
!! !
!! !The!respondent’s!most!frequently!used!routes,!were!manually!transcribed!onto!the!
Vermont!Center!for!Geographic!Information’s!Emergency!Roads!line!shapefile!using!ArcMap.!
Roads!were!divided!into!segments,!bounded!by!intersections,!and!a!numeric!“1”!was!added!to!a!
segment!each!time!it!was!used!in!a!respondent’s!most!frequent!route.!Figure!16!shows!which!
segments!amassed!the!most!tallies,!meaning!they!are!used!the!most!in!respondent’s!most!frequent!
routes.!It!shows!that!the!three!mostTused!roads!are:!South!Winooski!Ave,!Pine!St!and!Riverside!
Ave.!!Figure!17!is!perhaps!the!most!effective!means!for!conveying!route!use,!but!Figure!16!is!able!
to!show!the!slight!differences!along!popular!routes.!! !
!! !!
!
5.#Conclusions#and#Recommended#Improvements!!
!
5.1!South!Winooski!Avenue!
!
! Downtown!Burlington!is!bisected!latitudinally!by!the!Union!Street!and!Winooski!Avenue!
corridors.!Winooski!Avenue!and!Union!Street!were!both!cited!by!the!Burlington!North/South!
Bicycle!&!Pedestrian!Route!Study!(N/SRS)!cited!as!focus!areas!where!improvement!was!most!
needed.!Since!that!study’s!completion!in!2002,!bike!lanes!have!been!added!along!both!corridors,!
and!those!improvements!have!resulted!in!the!high!rates!of!ridership!found!in!2014!by!the!
Burlington!Bike!Survey.!Winooski!Ave!and!Union!St’s!popularity!should!be!used!as!an!example!for!
how!other!roadways!can!develop!to!be!more!bicycle!friendly,!and!there!is!still!room!for!
20. !
17!
improvement.!!
!! The!section!of!South!Winooski!Ave!between!Pearl!Street!and!Bank!Street!is!the!epicenter!of!
Burlington’s!bicycle!network,!and!this!would!be!the!area!where!Burlington!should!be!installing!the!
nextTlevel!of!bicycle!infrastructure.!The!area’s!highest!rates!of!bicycle!patronage!warrant!more!
than!the!existing!sharrows,!and!bicycle!traffic!lights!and!bike!boxes!are!infrastructure!options!that!
would!increase!bicycle!visibility!and!safety!in!a!carTcluttered!core.!!
!
5.2!Improved!Bike!Lanes,!Pine!St!
!
! Pine!Street!is!one!of!downtown!Burlington’s!primary!entry!corridors.!An!alternative!to!the!
bicycleTrepellent!Shelburne!Road,!Pine!Street!is!a!popular!access!route!for!many!of!Burlington’s!
bicycle!commuters!who!come!from!southern!Burlington!and!towns!to!the!South.!Most!of!Pine!
Street!has!a!bike!lane!painted!into!the!shoulder,!with!accompanying!signs,!which!remind!bicyclists!
and!motorists!of!cyclists’!right!to!use!a!full!lane!of!traffic.!Car!traffic!along!Pine!Street!is!fast,!and!
intermittent!parallel!parking!robs!cyclists!of!their!lane,!and!allots!very!little!room!for!bicyclists!to!
leave!space!space!for!the!passing!cars!while!avoiding!the!door!zone.!!!
!! Lack!of!connectivity,!debris!in!the!bike!lane,!lack!of!bike!lane,!street!side!parking!and!
proximity!to!car!traffic!are!all!negative!features!attributed!to!Pine!Street.!!!
!! A!continuous,!wellTmarked!and!signed!bike!lane!along!all!of!Pine!St!would!make!the!road!
safer!and!more!enjoyable!for!the!high!proportion!of!Burlington’s!cyclists!who!choose!to!use!the!
route!frequently.!
!
5.3!Protected!Bike!Lanes,!North!Ave!! !
! !
! North!Avenue!embodies!many!of!the!same!negative!features!that!concern!cyclists!on!Pine!
Street,!and!the!roads!have!the!same!utilitarian!purpose.!North!Avenue!was!mentioned!by!4!
percent!of!respondents!as!a!dangerous!place.!This!relatively!small!amount!of!attention!is!still!
notable!because!it!is!the!secondTmost!mentioned!road,!only!coming!behind!Shelburne!Road.!!
!! North!Avenue!is!one!of!the!few!roads!in!Burlington!with!two!lanes!of!car!traffic!going!in!
either!direction,!and!bicyclists!are!restricted!to!a!bike!lane!painted!into!the!shoulder,!which!is!not!
continuous!along!the!entire!road,!and!does!not!usher!bicyclist’s!through!all!intersections.!A!
candidate!for!all!four!of!respondents’!most!desired!features,!the!bike!lane!should!a!lot!more!space!
for!bicyclists,!the!lane!needs!to!be!better!maintained,!the!lane!should!continue!so!that!bicyclists!
are!not!forced!into!traffic!or!the!sidewalk,!and!a!protected!bike!lane!would!make!the!route!more!
accessible!for!the!lessTexperienced!or!lessTconfident!bicyclists.!!
!
!
!
!
21. !
18!
5.4!Pavement!Upkeep!
!
! A!recommendation!that!is!applicable!across!most!of!Burlington’s!bicycle!lanes!and!paths!is!
a!need!for!better!pavement!conditions.!Burlington!is!currently!working!on!revamping!the!
Waterfront!Bike!Path!which!many!cyclists!mentioned!needed!repair,!but!more!often,!respondents!
are!concerned!about!the!pavement!conditions!in!bike!lanes!and!shoulders!along!Burlington’s!
roadways.!!
!! 25!percent!of!all!respondents!wrote!in!that!they’d!like!to!see!pavement!improvements!as!a!
way!to!improve!Burlington’s!bicycle!infrastructure.!This!is!correlated!to!safety,!because!
respondents!mentioned!feeling!endangered!by!a!situation!when!bad!pavement!conditions!force!
them!to!swerve!into!car!traffic.!!
!! Many!of!Burlington’s!existing!bike!lanes!have!been!placed!in!shoulders,!and!
consequentially,!this!is!where!debris!and!puddles!collect!and!potholes!and!storm!water!grates!are!
located.!Burlington’s!bicycle!infrastructure!could!be!improved!by!moving!the!bike!lanes!out!of!the!
shoulder,!or!improve!conditions!in!these!lanes.!!
!
5.5!Bike!Box,!Pearl!St!and!North!Winooski!!
!
! Bike!boxes!are!an!infrastructural!feature,!which!have!become!a!staple!of!many!worldT
renown!bicycling!cities.!Bike!boxes!are!a!dedicated!space!at!signalized!intersections!in!front!of!
stopped!cars,!so!that!bicyclists!can!get!a!head!start!on!car!traffic,!increase!their!visibility!and!
facilitate!upcoming!lane!changes!and!left!hand!turns.!!In!a!review!of!international!research!on!
bicycle!infrastructure,!Pucher!et!a.!found!significant!research!proving!that!bike!boxes!increase!
bicyclist’s!sense!of!safety.!!
!! The!intersection!of!Pearl!Street!and!North!Winooski!Avenue!is!vital!for!motorists!and!
bicyclists.!Analysis!of!responses!to!the!Burlington!Bike!Survey!shows!that!this!is!the!most!crossed!
intersection!in!downtown!Burlington,!as!well!as!a!place!where!many!cyclists!are!making!leftThand!
turns.!A!bike!box!here!would!work!to!mediate!the!danger!of!taking!left!hand!turns!by!giving!
bicyclists!a!dedicated!space!to!be!visible!to!motorists!and!have!priority!when!turning.!
!
!
6.#Further#Research!!!
!
! Burlington!is!a!city!that!aims!to!promote!and!propagate!bicycling!for!commuting,!utility!and!
recreation!and!in!doing!so,!join!the!league!of!North!American!cities!spearheading!the!move!
towards!a!more!sustainable!transportation!mix.!But!prior!to!this!research!there!was!a!large!data!
deficit.!Transportation!planners!want!to!appease!the!citizens’!and!government’s!call!for!more!
bicycle!infrastructure,!but!a!lack!of!data!about!Burlington’s!current!situation!has!been!a!cog!in!
their!progress.!The!Burlington!Bike!Survey!and!its!sequential!analysis!attempted!to!address!the!
deficit,!and!collect!some!data!that!will!contribute!to!the!planning!toolbox.!Starting!with!little,!and!
22. !
19!
aspiring!for!a!big!result,!this!research!amassed!a!large!variety!of!information!that!enabled!a!few!
valuable!conclusions,!and!more!importantly!revealed!valuable!questions!and!refined!a!survey!
methodology.!!!
!
6.1!Bicycle!Rider!Counts! !
!
!! This!research!reinforced!that!there!is!a!need!for!data!such!as!bicycle!rider!counts,!
individual!frequently!used!routes,!and!sidewalk!rider!counts.!There!exists!some!bicycle!rider!
counts!such!as!CCRPC’s!Bike!&!Pedestrian!Count!Data,!but!this!only!includes!data!collected!at!
points!along!Burlington’s!bike!paths.!These!bicycle!rider!counts!are!an!essential!tool!for!
transportation!research,!and!it’s!absence!retards!basic!analysis!of!Burlington’s!bicycle!network.!!
!!
6.2!Bicycle!Routes! !
!
! Along!with!basic!bicycle!rider!counts,!a!collection!of!individual!bicyclist’s!routes!would!help!
researchers!look!into!pathway!selection!and!add!depth!to!the!bare!bones!of!the!rider!counts.!!The!
Burlington!Bicycle!Survey!collected!99!such!routes,!but!the!method!of!drawing!routes!on!paper!
maps!was!inefficient!and!time!consuming.!There!exist!online!methods!for!route!mapping,!and!it!is!
in!the!interest!of!planners!to!assess!these!platforms!and!see!which!would!be!appropriate!to!draw!
existing!data!from!or!utilize!to!create!a!survey!tool.!!
!!
6.3!Sidewalk!Riding! !
!
! Sidewalk!riding!is!pervasive!on!many!Burlington!roadways,!and!this!is!a!national!trend.!
Research!has!shown!that!people!ride!on!the!sidewalk!because!they!feel!that!proximity!to!car!traffic!
on!the!road!is!too!dangerous.!Sidewalk!riding!is!detrimental!to!accurate!data!collection,!because!it!
is!frequently!not!included!in!bicycle!data!collection!methods.!Sidewalk!riders!may!be!a!useful!
indicator!of!insufficient!bicycle!infrastructure,!so!collecting!this!data!may!be!very!valuable.!
Sidewalk!riders!are!often!left!out!of!rider!counts,!and!I!haven’t!seen!examples!of!surveys!or!route!
assessment!that!ask!respondents!to!specify!if!they!ride!on!the!sidewalk!instead!of!on!the!street.!!
!! !
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
25. !
22!
!
Works#Cited#
!
AultmanTHall,!Lisa,!Hall,!Fred,!&!Baetz,!Brian.!(1997).!Analysis!of!Bicycle!Commuter!Routes!Using!
Geographic!Information!Systems:!Implications!for!Bicycle!Planning.!Transportation!
Research!Record,!1578,!102T110.!doi:!citeulikeTarticleTid:8985311!
Broach,!Joseph,!Dill,!Jennifer,!&!Gliebe,!John.!(2012).!Where!do!cyclists!ride?!A!route!choice!model!
developed!with!revealed!preference!GPS!data.!Transportation!Research!Part!A:!Policy!&!
Practice,!46(10),!1730T1740.!doi:!10.1016/j.tra.2012.07.005!
DamantTSirois,!G.,!Grimsrud,!M.,!&!El!Geneidy,!A.!(2013).!What’s!your!type:!
A!multidimensional!cyclist!typology.!Transportation.!DOI:!10.1007/s11116T014T9523T8!!
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of!Public!Health!Policy,!30,!S95TS110.!doi:!10.1057/jphp.2008.56!
Geller,!R.!(2006).!Four!types!of!cyclists.!Portland,!OR:!Retrieved!from!!
!! http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/264746.!
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Volume!2:!Technical!Papers.!Conference!on!!Research!on!Women’s!Issues!in!
Transportation,!Transportation!Research!Board!!of!the!National!Academies.!Chicago,!
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Pucher,!John,!Dill,!Jennifer,!&!Handy,!Susan.!(2010).!Infrastructure,!programs,!and!policies!to!
increase!bicycling:!An!international!review.!Preventive!Medicine,!50,!Supplement(0),!S106T
S125.!doi:!http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.07.028!
Pucher,!J.,!and!R.!Buehler.!Analysis!of!Bicycling!Trends!and!Policies!in!Large!noth!American!Cities:!
Lessons!for!New!York.!Research!and!Innovative!Technology!Administration,!U.S.!
Department!of!Transportation,!2011.!!
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6.#Please#think#about#how#Burlington#might#best#improve#bicycle#transportation#in#the#next#10#years#by#rating#various#infrastructure#options.##We#
would#like#to#assess#your#thoughts#using#a#5#point#scale,#with#“1”#meaning#“least'important”#and#“5”#meaning#“most'important.”##Read#through#
the#options#below,#then#rate#each#option#according#to#what#you#think#are#the#best#ways#for#Burlington#to#continue#improving#its#bicycle#
transportation.#If#any#options#are#unfamiliar,#refer#to#the#“Infrastructure#Key”#on#the#previous#page.#
#
''''''Level'of'Importance'
''''''''''Least'Important''''''''''''Most'Important'
OneHway#Protected#Bike#Lane#########1##2#3#4#5#
TwoHway#Protected#Bike#Lane###1##2#3#4#5#
Shared#Road#(sharrow)#####1##2#3#4#5#
OnHroad#Bike#Lane######1##2#3#4#5#
Bike#Box########1##2#3#4#5#
OffHroad#Bike#Path######################################1##2#3#4#5#
Bike#Signal##########################################1##2#3#4#5#
#
7.#Indicate#what#weather#conditions#you#are#willing#to#bike#in#(you#may#select#more#than#one).#
#
☐#uncomfortable#heat##☐#uncomfortable#cold##☐#snowfall#with#dry#roads##☐#snowfall#with#snow#on#the#ground#☐#icy#roads##☐#rain#with#dry#ground###
☐#rain#with#wet#pavement#☐#high#winds#
#
8.#Do#you#feel#safe#biking#in#Burlington?#
###
###Strongly'Disagree'''''''''Strongly'Agree#
####1#2#3#4#5#
#
9.#Are#there#any#circumstances#on#a#bike#ride#that#make#you#feel#unsafe#?#
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________#
#
10.#What#mode#of#transportation#do#you#use#the#most#when#in#
Burlington?#
#
☐#Car###☐#Bike###☐#Bus###☐#Walk###
☐#other#(please#specify)#_____________________#
#
11.#For#what#purpose#do#you#bike#the#most?#
#
☐#commute#to#work/school##☐#utility#(shopping,#visiting#a#friend,#etc.)##
☐#recreation/exercise#
#
12.#What#modes#of#transportation#do#you#have#everyday#access#to#
(you#may#select#more#than#one)?#
#
☐#personal#vehicle#(used#only#by#you)##☐a#shared#personal#vehicle#
(used#by#at#least#one#other#household#member)#☐#a#car#share###
☐#public#transportation##☐#bike#☐#walk##
#☐#other#(please#specify)_______________________#☐#n/a#
#
13.##If#you#commute#to#work/school,#how#far#is#your#commute?#(one#
direction)#
#
☐#0#to#1#mile#☐#1.1#miles#to#3#miles##☐#3.1#miles#to#7#miles##☐#7.1#miles#
to#15#miles##☐#more#than#15#miles#☐#n/a#
#
14a.#How#often#do#you#bike#in#the#summer?#
☐#a#few#times#a#year##☐#a#few#times#a#month##☐#a#few#times#a#week###
☐#every#day##
#
#
14b.#How#often#do#you#bike#in#the#winter?#
#
☐#a#few#times#a#year##☐#a#few#times#a#month##☐#a#few#times#a#week###
☐#every#day#
#
15.#How#would#you#classify#yourself#as#a#biker?###
#
☐#beginner##☐#moderate##☐#expert#
#
16.#Which#gender#do#you#identify#as:#
#
☐##female###☐#male####☐##other###☐#prefer#not#to#answer#
#
17.#In#what#year#were#you#born?###__________#
#
18.##What#is#the#highest#degree#or#level#of#school#you#have#
COMPLETED?#
#
☐#Grade#1H11#(specify)#_______##☐#Regular#high#school#diploma#
☐#GED#or#alternative#credential##
☐#1#or#more#year#of#college#credit,#no#degree#
☐#Associate’s#degree#☐#Bachelor’s#degree#☐#Master’s#degree#
☐#Doctoral#degree###
THANKYOUFORCOMPLETINGTHEBURLINGTONBIKE
SURVEY.WEAPRECIATEYOURPARTICIPATIONINOUREFFORT
TOBETTERUNDERSTANDBURLINGTON’SBIKESITUATION.#
Pleaseprovideuswithyoure-mailaddressifyou’dliketobecontactedbyTheBurlingtonBikeSurveyforfollowup:________________________#
Pleaseprovideuswithyouremailaddressifyou’dliketobecontactedbyLocalMotion,forupdatesoneventsandvolunteeropportunitiesrelatedto
bicyclinginBurlington:___________________#
#
#The#goal#of#this#survey#is#to#understand#which#routes#Burlington’s#bicyclists#use,#why#they#use#them,#and#how#we#can#replicate#those#preferred#
features#on#other#roads#and#paths.#The#City#of#Burlington#is#working#towards#being#a#worldwide#leader#at#encouraging#sustainable#and#socioH
economically#equitable#transportation#systems,#and#by#completing#this#survey#you#are#making#a#valuable#contribution#to#this#effort.#For#this#
research,#The#University#of#Vermont’s#Transportation#Research#Center#is#working#with#the#Burlington#Department#of#Public#Works,#the#
Chittenden#County#Regional#Planning#Commission,#and#Local#Motion#to#obtain#feedback#from#a#wide#spectrum#of#bike#riders#to#better#understand#
current#behavior#and#practices.#The#completed#survey#will#provide#detailed#information,#opinions#and#input#to#be#used#by#a#host#of#Burlington#
transportation#planners#to#improve#Burlington’s#bicycle#network.#
#
THE#SURVEY#WILL#TAKE#YOU#APPROXIMATELY#10#MINUTES#TO#COMPLETE.#PLEASE#RESPOND#TO#ALL#QUESTIONS,#AND#BE#SURE#TO#
RESPOND#TO#THE#FINAL#QUESTIONS#ON#THE#OPPOSITE#SIDE#OF#THIS#PAGE.#COMPLETING#THE#ENTIRE#SURVEY#WILL#HELP#US#BETTER#
UNDERSTAND#YOUR#NEEDS#AND#CONCERNS#AND#ASSIST#IN#CURRENT#AND#FUTURE#BICYCLE#PLANNING#PROJECTS.#THANK#YOU.#
#
1.#Where#is#your#favorite#place#(road,#path,#neighborhood,#etc.)#to#ride#your#bike#in#Burlington?#Why?#
#
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________#
#
2.#Please#think#about#your#experience#biking#in#Burlington,#and#consider#which#of#the#following#features#impact#your#biking#experience#the#most.#
We#would#like#to#assess#your#thoughts#using#a#5Hpoint#scale,#with#“1”#meaning#“lowest'impact#”#and#“5”#meaning#“highest'impact.”##Rate#each#of#
the#options#below#according#to#what#features#impact#your#route#decisions#the#most#when#biking#in#Burlington.##
#
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''Level'of'Impact'
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''Lowest'impact''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''Highest'impact#
Steep#Hills#(uphill)######1##2#3#4#5#
Steep#Hills#(downhill)####1##2#3#4#5#
Dense#car#traffic######1##2#3#4#5#
FastHmoving#car#traffic#####1##2#3#4#5#
OnHroad#car#parking####1##2#3#4#5#
Busy#intersections######1##2#3#4#5#
Left#hand#turns########1##2#3#4#5#
Poor#pavement#conditions######1##2#3#4#5#
#
3.#Which#feature#would#you#avoid#the#most#(select#one)?##
#
☐#steep#hills#(uphill)##☐#steep#hills#(downhill)##☐#dense#car#traffic###☐#fast#moving#car#traffic#☐#busy#intersections##☐#leftHhand#turns###
☐#poor#pavement#conditions#
#
#
4.#What#improvements#would#you#like#to#see#in#Burlington’s#bike#infrastructure?#
#
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________#
#
#
#
##
